The Nightmare Wizard
Chapter 71 - Jewel of Life

Chapter 71: Chapter 71 - Jewel of Life

The four mages floated imposingly in the sky. Beneath them, the Kraken, sensing the overwhelming presence of their power, thrashed desperately. Its tentacles writhed frantically, a colossal mass of flesh and fury desperately trying to flee into the ocean.

"Do you think you can leave without paying after eating?" Merion’s voice resonated with mockery. "Hahahaha! There’s no free breakfast in this life, beast!"

Merion raised a hand, his eyes glowing with an emerald green light. A powerful shout escaped his lips: "Descent of the Storm! Wind Blades...!"

Gusts of wind, sharp as invisible blades, shot towards the Kraken. The air whistled as the attacks struck with devastating force. The sea creature was brutally mutilated; more than half of its once imposing tentacles were severed in an instant, falling into the void like useless debris. A heartbreaking scream echoed through the heavens.

From the deck, William watched, his mind processing the overwhelming difference between a true mage and apprentices. Merion had unleashed hundreds of wind blades, a power equivalent to Captain Thenerev’s most formidable attack, without the slightest effort. Meanwhile, Thenerev, still lying on the ground, gasped, exhausted.

"Well done, Merion! I’ll finish this once and for all," Agis’s voice broke the silence. He moved with agility, landing firmly on the Kraken’s massive eye. The creature writhed, trying to break free from its invisible restraints, but its efforts were futile. Its cries, now more pleas than roars, were evident, and an intriguing smile spread across Agis’s face. He extended his hand, which glowed with a bright red color, like liquid magma. Without the slightest mercy, the burning hand pierced the Kraken’s eye. The beast convulsed with unimaginable pain, its final scream shaking the very earth.

The Kraken became still, a silent and lifeless mass, after a few eternal seconds. Agis, with a fluid movement, extracted a small, bright light-blue sphere from its eye. Upon seeing it, a laugh of pure happiness escaped his lips. The other mages descended, their faces reflecting relief and triumph.

"The Jewel of Life is complete. We can go home," Agis declared, his voice filled with satisfaction. The four mages shared a jubilant laugh. Agis reverently put away the Kraken’s Jewel of Life. Without another word, the four mages vanished, leaving the wounded scattered across the deck.

As if a storm had abruptly ceased, movement returned to the deck. Many mage apprentices emerged from the cafeteria, their steps hurried as they began tending to the wounded. Seeing that everything was over, William collapsed onto the deck, a nervous laugh escaping his lips, a mixture of relief and pure adrenaline. Suddenly, he felt a pat on his shoulder; it was Thenerev, who looked at him with profound gratitude. During the powerful attack of the Kraken, Thenerev had been immobilized at the epicenter of the devastation, and William’s shield had saved his l ife.

"I owe you one, brat. If it weren’t for you, I’d be screwed," Thenerev extended his hand, offering him a bottle of wine. "This will help you heal." Upon taking it, William realized it wasn’t wine, but the same regeneration potion. "I thought you didn’t have any left," William commented, surprised. Thenerev glanced around discreetly and motioned for him to follow.

"There’s something you don’t know, but for saving my life, I’ll tell you," Thenerev began, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Normally, a vessel like this is only used in wars against other academies. This wood comes from a tree that lives a hundred thousand years and blooms only once in its existence. When the flower dies, the tree dries up, and its wood becomes as hard as steel. To build a ship of this size, five such trees are required. Can you imagine their terrifying value?"

Thenerev paused, his eyes surveying the damage on the deck. "And now look at how it’s turned out. The Kraken almost destroyed it. Plus, there’s us. The academy has its own navigators, but none are here. That’s because they lack the guts for a mission like this."

The Captain continued, revealing layers of information. "In the Alliance, the director is a level 3 mage, completely invincible in this place, but he’s always guarding the Alliance, so he can’t leave. Level 2 mages are considered strategic weapons; they only emerge when there’s a problem threatening the Alliance’s security or interests. And yet, here are four of them. We all knew what we were coming for; this was a hunting mission. They couldn’t reveal themselves because the Kraken is extremely skittish, unlike the Leviathan, which will charge headfirst into anything without fear."

"You mean everyone who died knew about this?" William asked, the implication hitting him.

Thenerev sighed. "Not everyone. Only the mages and us. The reason they brought so many apprentices was to attract the Kraken. Those beasts love devouring mages, as they’re a great source of energy. In return, the Kraken’s corpse is for us, and they only want that small sphere. Follow me."

They both walked back to where the other sailors were efficiently butchering what little remained of the Kraken. Merion’s attacks had mutilated the beast beyond recognition, leaving only minced flesh visible.

One of the sailors, seeing them approach, said, "Captain, here’s the best part."

Thenerev replied, "Not this time. Here, kid. Eat it when you’re alone. This is what we risked our lives for, but I don’t think anyone here doubts that if it weren’t for you, we’d all be dead today. Your talisman is more valuable, but this will be worth it for you."

Despite what one would expect from such a gigantic creature, the Kraken’s heart was only two fists wide. It was barely larger than a cannonball but weighed as if carrying a hundred kilograms. William accepted the Kraken’s heart, and at that very moment, words resonated in his mind.

"I can finally communicate with you again," Angel’s voice resonated, clear and sharp, after a long silence.

"Angel! What happened? No matter how much I tried to call you, you didn’t answer," William exclaimed, relieved and confused.

"That beast was so powerful it severed our link all this time. I still don’t know how it did it, but it trapped me inside it, unable to move, until they killed it and I could escape," Angel explained, with a hint of fear in her voice.

William, bewildered, asked, "You mean you were trapped inside the Kraken?"

"Yes," Angel replied, her tone still tinged with apprehension. "That thing dragged me out of you and locked me somewhere. But don’t worry, I’m fine. More importantly, that thing in your hand holds all the Kraken’s vitality. If you devour it, you’ll experience impressive growth!"

Just as William had suspected, this heart should be worth a fortune, and now it was in his hands. If they knew his necklace had cost him less than a hundred gold coins, who knows if they would spit blood from frustration at William’s incredible luck?